The 5 Themes of Geography


Location (Absolute and Relative)

Absolute location involves using Latitude and Longitude to locate an exact spot on the Earth and requires the use of North, South, East and West.


Relative location involves using landmarks or features to locate a spot on the Earth. Giving someone directions to your house or to the store is an example of using Relative Location.



Place

Place is not where you are at... It's what the place you are at, looks like. Describe it, what is man-made is not? What stands out to you? What can you describe that might help others understand the place you live in.


Region

Do places look alike? Yes they do. Region is an area or areas that have similar places or features. A coastal region or the Rocky Mountain region. How about North America or Europe?


Movement

How do people, goods and ideas get into and out of a place? That's a great question. Did you turn on the TV today? If you did, then information was moved from there to you.


Human Environment Interaction

The simplest one of them all is Human Environment Interaction. How do Humans and the Environment interact? In so many ways, it's too difficult to count them all. What do humans do to get across a river? When it starts to snow or rain? When it gets too hot outside? All interacting with the environment.






Culture

The inherited ideas, beliefs, values, and knowledge, which constitute the shared basis of a group of people.





Religion

The practice and rituals of worship in a deity (God) or deities (Gods and Goddesses)


The Eightfold Path of Buddhist Teachings

Wordle: The Eightfold Path




Race

The physical/cultural characteristics that unite a people.





Nation

A group of people who share a similar cultural heritage. (example) the Cherokee Nation.






State

Man made or recognized borders that separate one group from another.






Nation-State

A group of people who share a similar cultural heritage, that have separated themselves from another group with borders.